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The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) has announced that it will remain as the host of Optrafair for the next four years following successful contract negotiations with event organisers the Mark Allen Group (MAG).
MAG, a leading UK media company and owner of Optician Magazine, is contracted by The Federation of Manufacturing Opticians to run Optrafair. The event, which launched in 1978, is the UK's leading exhibition and educational conference dedicated to the needs of the optical profession. Valued by a community of practitioners, suppliers and educators to help expand knowledge, grow awareness of products and services, gain CET points and build business.
Ed Tranter, Managing Director of MAG events division MA Exhibitions, cited fantastic support from the industry and the NEC’s location in the heart of the UK as the key contributors to the decision to sign a new long term deal with the venue.
He said: “Optrafair has always received fantastic support from the optical industry so we were keen to sign a long term deal to highlight our confidence in the show and send out a really positive message to the industry. Similarly, we have had an extremely successful relationship with the NEC and know that our customers are happy with our venue of choice. Its central location within the UK gives us the widest possible visitor reach and its unrivalled connectivity by road, rail and air means that visitors can access the venue with ease. We look forward to working with the exceptional teams behind the scenes at the NEC to continue to develop and enhance the show and the experience of our visitors."
Mark Truss is the Chairman of the FMO: “Optrafair is the must-attend event in the optical industry and continually attracts high profile exhibitors and large visitor numbers. We are confident that this success will continue over the next four years and beyond.”
Commenting on the new deal, Kathryn James, Managing Director of NEC Group Conventions and Exhibitions, said: “We are delighted that the organisers of Optrafair have made this long-term commitment to the NEC. The event is firmly established as the UK’s leading optical exhibition, and we intend to call on our 40 years’ experience in the industry to help ensure that it retains its status.”
Liz Cawley, the NEC Account Manager for Optrafair, added: “As a venue we are really keen to secure long term contracts as they ensure that our clients are able to reserve their favoured dates and they offer certainty to all stakeholders, so we are thrilled to have come to this mutually beneficial agreement with Optrafair. It has been a pleasure to work with the team in recent years and we are excited that we will welcome them back for at least the next four years.”